The Positive Side of the Pandemic

When speaking to clients about how their lives have been affected by the pandemic, there are often comments about the good that will come out of this. In an article entitled, “Surprising But Positive Consequences of Sheltering in Place” by Dena Kouremetis and featured on Psychology Today, she shares some thoughts about that very topic. Some of those include (paraphrased):

• “People who are staying at home are more aware of their surroundings and as a result, upgrades are occurring. This might include home projects and more care and attention being placed on yard maintenance.” I know that in our small town, people are having a hard time finding seeds to purchase – being at home is prompting people to plant gardens, for example, when typically they might not have.
• “Children are spending an inordinate amount of quality time with their parents.” I have heard from so many clients that having spent this time together as a family has been a wonderful lesson about slowing down and enjoying time together. It has led to much creativity and surprisingly, little mention of increased conflict.
• “Employers are learning that employees can be productive at home.” The myth that exists in society that people will slack off if working remotely has been challenged by Covid 19. Many people report being able to be just as productive, if not more productive, by working from home.
• “Travel and seeing our loved ones will be things we don’t take for granted.” Absolutely! We tend to take for granted what seems like a right, when in fact, it’s a privilege.

Despite the difficulty that social distancing and self-isolating produces, I appreciate the positive outcomes that Dena shares in her article. I especially love the use of the phrase “sheltering in place,” as it conjures up an element of doing so out of safety, and care for both ourselves and others. It is a phrase I will begin using 🙂

To read the full article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/raging-grace/202005/surprising-positive-consequences-sheltering-in-place

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Photo credit: http://Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash